Laminated material



G. GOEBEL Nov. E2, 1935.

LAMINATED MATERIAL Filed NOV. l1, 1933 Patented Nov. l2, 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,020,776 LAMINATED MATERIAL George Goebel,Baltimore, Md., assixnor to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore,Md., a corporation of New York `Application November 11, 1933, SerialNo. 897,679 1 Claim. (Cl. 21S-39) The present invention relates tocontainer caps, and particularly to facings therefor of sprayed metal.By facings, I mean a protective and resistant film or layer of thesprayed metal which facing is exposed to the contents of the receptaclebeing sealed. The purpose of the facing is to prevent off flavors andcontaminations from developing in the contents as well as to eliminatethe possibilities of objectionable chemical action and discoloration. i

By sprayed metal, I mean a film produced by a spraying operation inaccordance with a process wherein a particular metal is melted, atomizedand sprayed in fine molten particles onto the surface -to form anadherent metal coating thereon. Specifically, the metal to be sprayed isapplied to the spraying devices in the form of a standard gauge wire.This wire is automatically fed at a uniform speed into an oxyacetyleneflame; The flame immediately and continuously melts the end of thewire.' A stream of compressed air atomizes the `molten metal and blowsit in a fine spray out of a nozzle on the applying device and onto thesurface to be coated Where it impacts with high velocity, adheres andinstantly cools to form a coating.

The facing is applied as a layer either directly to the cap body, or toa separate base material which is aiiixed to thecap body. In eithercase, the union between the facing layer and the surface with which itis associated is characterized by maximum adherence, and the metalparticles cohere tenaciously to one another. There results a lm or layerwhich is (1) hard in that is does not scar orv distort in normal use andwhich is abrasion resistant; (2) flexible so as to accommodate itself toirregularities in the container sealing surface and the usual capcushion or sealing liner without cracking; (3) continuous and gas andliquid impervious; and (4) adherent to the undersurface throughout itsentire area and in effect, becomes an integral part of such undersurfaceor base.

In the case of caps, particularly those in which a center spot facing oran overall facing is employed including a paper facing or .a metal layersuch as aluminum foil or tin foil and afllxed to a cushion liner, thereis a tendency to scar the facing during shipment of the caps. This sameobjection arises when the caps are in the hoppers of crowning machineswhere the movements to which they are subjected likewise result in asimilar scarring and distortion of the metal spots and facings.

Also, in the case of paper and metal foil facings, particularly centerspots usually applied to a cushion liner, there takes place during theshipment of the caps or while they are in the hoppers. by reason oftheir contact with one another, a tearing or loosening of the spot from5 the cushion so that the cap becomes ineffective as a seal.

With lthe present invention, the metal particles sprayed in the mannerabove described form a thin continuous film directly on the cap orseparate facing material, and the particlesof this 'film are coherentwith respect to each other and adhere to the surface which is coated, insuch a manner as to, in effect, become an integral part of such surfaceor base. The lm is abrasion resistant, flexible and tenacious, and theunion with the undersurface is complete throughout the area of thefacing.

Stated briefly, a facing of sprayed metal in accordance with thisinvention is not scarred during the shipment of the caps or while theyare in the crowning hopper and the union between the facing and theundersurface or base is such that there is no danger of the facingsbecoming separated even under abnormal conditions.

An important advantage of the invention therefore resides in thecomplete prevention either of multilation of the spot or facing or itslpeeling from the undersurface or cushion liner Of equal importance isthe ease with which laminated sheet and strip spotting material -havinga film of sprayed metal may be prepared and handled. By reason of thestrong coherence of the particles of the film and the tenacious, i. e.,substantially integral, adherence of the film to the adjacent layerwhether it be fabric such as paper, an adhesive tissue or metal, thecomposite structure is strengthened very perceptibly. Hence, cheap paperor even an adhesive tissue may be coated with the film, and thelaminated structure rendered of enhanced strength. Since the film isflexible and free from any tendency to crack and strongly adherent, thesheets may be rolled, slit into spools of appropriate width for theparticular caps, and fed to the punching machine and punched Withoutfear of mutilation of the material or the separation of the layers. Thisis a decided advance in that present spotting material of paper or foilis weak, exhibits a tendency to distort and must be carefully watched inview of the ever present possibility of separation of the laminations.

Referring to the drawing:- 55

Figure` 1-is a perspective view showing a socalled MetaLayeR sprayer andthe manner of coating a base material with any suitable metal;

Figure 2 is a sectional View of a sheet or strip facing materialcomprising a layer of paper having on one side a film of sprayed metaland on the opposite side a film of adhesive;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a sheet or strip of facing materialcomprising a layer of adhesive to which is applied a layer of sprayedmetal;

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a sheet or strip of sheet metalhaving applied thereto a coating of the sprayed metal;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a cap produced from the sheet materialof Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top view broken away and illustrating the association ofthe three layers constituting the material of Figure 2; l

Figure 7 is a .view looking into the interior of a spot crown, showing aspot of the material of Figures 2 and 6 applied thereto; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the cap shown in Figure 7.

In carrying out the present invention, the base layer which is toreceive a coating of sprayed metal is indicated as a whole at I0 and themetal spraying device is indicated as a whole at Il. The base layer ispreferably roughened as by a sand blast in the case of a metal sheet andwhere the spray is to be applied to paper, a rough or cheap paper may beused or one which has a suflcient number of crevices and indentations toprevent any gliding of the particles from the base.

A thin metallic film of the particles is obtained as indicated at i2which is continuous. This film is characterized by having the particlesstronglyccherent to one another and possessing a maximum adherence tothe base. No adhesive is used for securing the film to the undersurface,f

which results in a saving in adhesive, as weil as eliminates the stepsof adhesive application and subsequent care of the sheet required incases where an adhesive is used. The film is flexible, hard and abrasionresistant and substantially indestructible in that it appears to becomea part of the base to which it is applied and is inseparable therefrom,

In the manufacture of spotting materials and facings, it is customary toprepare a laminated structure in the form of a sheet or strip and punchout the spots or facings therefrom. This is usually accomplished in aspotting or punching machine where, as punched, the spot or facing isapplied upon a cap.

In Figure 2, I have illustrated a sheet or strip material having a baseof paper I3, a layer of sprayed metal i4 on one side thereof, and on theopposite side a layer of adhesive I5,`prefer ably a thermoplasticadhesive. I have used successfully as the adhesive, gutta percha tissue,and as the backing,V bleached or unbleached kraft paper, express paper,and in fact, any paper .of light gauge is suitable.

In Figure 3, I have illustrated a similar strip v material wherein thebase comprises a strip or.

sheet of gutta percha tissue I 6 to which is applied a layer of sprayedmetal il.

The film as heretofore stated materially enhances the strength of thecomposite or lamb' nated structure shown in Figures 2 and 3. The sheetwill be rolled and slit into spools, without fearof distorting thematerial or separating the` layers. These same desirable results obtain,when :,onoms the spooled ymaterial is fed to the spotting machine andpunched.

In Figure 4, the base Il is formed of sheet metal and has appliedthereto a layer Il of' sprayed metal. 5

Referring to Figure 6, I have shown a representative strip of thespotting or facing material from which it will be'observed that therespective layers of Vsprayed metal, paper backing and adhesive arecoextensive. This is like- 10 i wise true of the material shown inFigures 3 and 4.

The spots or facings are punched from the strip or sheet materials asfor example that shown in Figure 6 in the form of overall facings, for15 substantially completely covering the interior face of the cap, or ascenter spot facings of less diameter than the diameter of the cap.

In Figures '7 and 8, I have shown a so-called spot cap. The spot 20 ispunched from one of 20 the materials shown in Figures 2 and 3 and bymeans of the adhesive is secured to a cushion disc 2i of cork or corkcomposition or similar well known liner material adhesively amxed to theshell 23 of the cap. 25

In Figure 5, I have illustrated a cap stamped from the laminated metalmaterial shown in Figure 4 so that it has an interior facing of sprayedmetal. The circumferential sealinggroove in the cap is provided with aring liner of suitable cush- 30 ion material 24. With this type of cap,the usual paper or composition facings are omitted. i

In preparing the facings, I am not limited to any particular metal,since I nd that paper..

an adhesive tissue, or metal, may be sprayed in 35 f accordance with theprocess described with various metals such as molten aluminum,'zinc,tin,

nickel, or copper, and in fact, any metalrnay` be employed as foundsuitable for the particularl similar strong union between the film andthe surface to which itis/applied. Scarring of the cap is completelyeliminated and no instance has been found where the facing has becomeseparated from the base. In fact, mutilation and 50 peeling of thefacings is eliminated. The film may be applied to have any desiredthickness, and it is found that where desired a thinner base materialmay be used which with a thin sprayed-metal film will give a laminated55 structure of less thickness than conventional facing or spottingmaterial.

The spraying process employed is known, as the MetaLayeR process and theapplying device as a MetaLayeR. 30'

While I have described several embodiments of f 1 I the inventionherein, it is` to be observed that the invention is applicable undernumerpugir..

. cumstances in connection with container caps and f Y the appendedclaim is not'to belimitedto the 35` 3 particular instances herein4 shownand described.

' I claimz- A cap comprising a shell, av cushion liner theref A in, anda facing material 'comprising a backing layer united to the liner andhaving a substan- 701 -tially continuous resistant film united to thelbacking layer and consisting of sprayed metal.

GEORGE GOEBEL.

